The fire raged.
The fire screamed.
The fire burned.
Somewhere beyond the heat and the smoke and the crackle he was talking. Words came rolling in on little wet waves.
“Some years ago I found that deathfish are not named solely for their habit of living in graveyard ponds.”
The floorboards creaked under his weight. Inside the cabinets dishes danced to the beat of his steps, welcoming their master home.
He paused. The house leaned into him, waiting for his acknowledgement, his approval, his love.
“They are very poisonous. Very poisonous indeed.”
Fingers grasped and pulled on a metal handle and the house sighed as a cabinet opened.
“Some people in Shang Simla pay quite a high price to eat them. But then isn’t all life just food for other life? No matter what defenses you have, someone will come along and find a way past them. Find a way to get under your skin…”
Under your skin. Under your skin. Under your skin.
“…take out all that is you…”
All that is you. All that is you. All that is you.
“…and consume you.”
Consume you. Consume you. Consume you.
The fire died down to a slow silent smolder.
“It’s a very fast-acting poison. Nothing too messy or uncomfortable.”
“You won’t feel a thing.”
She heard a heavy thunk from the back of the cabinet as he pulled out a large glass bowl.
“You see, ambrosia requires four life seeds. Four seeds sewn together with a single string.”
She heard the groan of the faucet as it turned under the pressure from his hand. She heard the water splash against the sides of the bowl, filling its emptiness.
“And you are the string.”
The water roared. It thundered through her veins, rushed through her brain, and flooded her heart. He had emptied her out and now the water crashed into the spaces he had left.
There was no Lilith. There was only water and fire and love and hate and life and death.
The fire comes for us all.
In the Valley of the Sun 
It is agonizing the way you are drawing out the climax here! So compelling. I fell like Lilith is still stepping out of his control although the last two screens seem to imply otherwise. But the fire dying down makes me believe his control is slipping away.
Stunning shots and they really project the mood of the writing so well.
LikeLike
Yeah – not sure if there’s just one more update left before the epilogue or not. We’ll see when I get started on it and it tells me where it wants to end.
Interesting thoughts on the last two pics. *whistles*
Thank you! I wasn’t really happy with these pics – I did the text first like with Interlude and grr argh – Seth’s cooking skill is at 8 but he wouldn’t open the cabinets for anything! He was all “Oooh, look at me preparing everything on the counter!” I mean, I was prepared to shoot around the bowl thing but I still thought I could get him to bend down and open a cabinet. Grrr arrrgh.
LikeLike
Oooomg… you are great at writing! LOL
LikeLike
Thank you! 🙂 I do like the text in this one, and hopefully at 300+ words it’s a bit meatier for people who aren’t as much into the abstract poetry of Empty and Light.
LikeLike
WOW!
LikeLike
That is amazing! I love how the pictures represent Lilith’s mind and world falling apart. Take the very first post as an example, the pictures are normal lit and just like everyday life. Skip to this post however, and everything is warped.
Love it!
LikeLike
Thank you! 🙂 And yes – it started out rather normal but as we’ve gone on it’s become rather surreal and abstract and conceptual. I think the change in style works – it gets progressively crazier the closer she gets to Seth.
LikeLike
Love this post.
Your pictures are great 😀 Do you edit your pics?
“Inside the cabinets dishes danced to the beat of his steps, welcoming their master home.”
lol That made me remind me of Beauty and the Beast.
LikeLike
Thank you!
Yep. All the pics get a screen layer and an unsharp mask. And then some get a bit more than that. 🙂
That’s cool – I wouldn’t have thought of that reference at all.
LikeLike
So…I know this is probably weird, but I like the 10th picture best, where Lilith is looking at the fireplace…I think I like how sane it looks compared to her little foray into the crazy land again. It’s like she was snapping back to reality and shaking off his spell. She looks intent and a little afraid, and like she’s trying to be very still so she can hear where he is and what he’s doing. So much suspense! I don’t know how this is going to end!
LikeLike
Nothing’s weird. 🙂 And yay that was the feeling I was trying to get across there! 🙂
If the next update does turn out to be the last, it might take a while because I want to release it and the epilogue at the same time. And it’s going to take a while anyway because I have to see if it’s all possible to do a very intricate set of shots that I want.
Yay thank you and you rock! 🙂
LikeLike
Yay for thunk! That works!
I love the tap and fireplace shots particularly but the overall atmosphere is very effective – knew it would be.
LikeLike
Thank you! And yes, I went with thunk and, if you will notice, realized last night at about 3 or 4 after spending hours on the sound of a glass bowl being put down on a counter top that he would just pull the bowl out of the cabinet and put it under the tap. No counter time needed. LOL!
And I kept in the four seeds and string thing and didn’t try to explain it more with Lilith being both the fourth seed and the connection between the other three because I just could not come up with another combination of words that sounded right and conveyed the atmosphere and meaning and emphasis that I wanted. Plus, not really in character for Seth to explain overly much anyway.
LikeLike
I like the personification of the home and the way it knows its master. I wonder what the fireplace thinks of him.
My mind said “oooo” at the detail about the life seeds needing to be connected – wonderful little development! Then my mind laughed at the unbidden image of Seth sitting in a rocking chair with his little sewing kit, stitching the seeds together. 🙂
LikeLike
Yay I’m glad you liked that bit. 🙂 His house is basically one of the characters already anyway.
LOL! I can so see Seth in a rocking chair and stitching things. It has a very Father Mackenzie darning his socks all alone feeling to it.
You rock a lot, you know. 🙂
LikeLike
I, I’m lost for words. Really. Such amazing… everything. I’m beckoning the end with one hand, and pushing it away with the other. Really I am so torn over how brilliant this story is. Stop being good, it makes my brain hurt. I love how the images have a sort of sickly green/pale red touch to them, the feel they give off just add to the ambience of your words. Your beautiful, beautiful words. As I’m reading this, I’m preparing to sleep, and preparing for the most amazing nightmare. Thank you. So much.
LikeLike
Thank you so much! 🙂 *hugs*
You’re a great writer yourself. Look at your description and word choice and how your sentences flow. 🙂 I always love your comments.
We are indeed quite close to the end. But I did get an inspiration today for another short like Interlude. And I’m planning on another story with Sarah and Seth and Jason and Lilith after this one. At the moment I’m thinking some sort of zombie apocalypse with Sarah as the main character and it will very probably be named Valley of the Dead, lol. 🙂
LikeLike
I’d personally love a story concerning Sarah, her life is still foggy, so she has so much you could work with. And you work well.
Also, I’d be a bad writer, I use far too many commas and clauses, and I have experimented, but I can’t flesh out stories for my life. Thank you all the same. 😀
LikeLike
It wouldn’t be Sarah’s life in this universe – it’d be a totally alternate universe. Might even play around with the Sunset Valley template in the world building tool to try and make it look more post-apocalyptic. But their personalities and certain other things would definitely carry over. Like I think there’d still be something there when she met Seth.
I still think you’d be a great writer. 🙂 Took me four and a half years of trying with Sims stories to get Valley. If you keep trying you’ll find your story that you can flesh out.
LikeLike
Another insanely amazing update if I do say so myself!
LikeLike
Awww, thank you! I’m okay with the text in this one but the pictures bother me a bit so that’s good to hear. 🙂
LikeLike
Another wonderful installment!
The second picture is amazing – really well done. 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you! 🙂
I’m glad you liked it – the text was really the focus this time and I didn’t spend nearly the time on these pics that I did for Empty and Light. Of course part of that is that I learned a lot while doing those two so I’m faster at it now.
LikeLike
BB is now wishing that she had sims 3.
This was an awesome chapter, as always. I was just scrolling down my friends page like ‘humdeedum who updated lately?’ and saw a new chapter!
This is my face now——-> :3
LikeLike
Sims 3 is fun. 🙂 Of course I spend a lot more time taking pics than playing so I am not really the best source on that. It’s a very pretty game though. 🙂
Yay thank you! I’m glad you liked it.
LikeLike
Tomorrow I think I am going to go back and re-read the entire story. But going on what I can remember, your writing has changed so much. In the beginning it was like on chapter after another, with a little suspension left after each chapter. But now, especially entering the climax, you have learned to draw out what in reality would be one final chapter. I think you are doing very well at this. I believe the suspense will pay off. Most people write a story and the wait for the conclusion is minimal. But this story is all adding to the end and once it gets to the end, if you write it out well which I am sure you will, it will be like a long anticipated sha-bang, the icing on top of the cake, you get the idea!
LikeLike
I have learned and changed a lot in the last six months, yes. But I think it works – it starts out fairly normal and then the closer Lilith comes to Seth the more surreal and poetic it gets. And Valley and I have gotten to know each other very well and work together better than we used to.
I like the one scene at a time thing. Each update its own little world with its own little themes and structure.
I hope the ending is worthy of the rest of the story, yes. We will see fairly soon.
I just want to say thank you for all of your wonderful comments and support and that you rock a lot. 🙂
LikeLike
I find myself screaming mentally at every chapter’s end. And I’m starting to have the sinking feeling that the story’s final chapter will have me doing the same thing.
Your writing just keeps getting better and better, I absolutely love it!
LikeLike
Thank you! And yes, I am happy with the results of six months of intensive practice. And I wish to go on with the intensive practice and to keep improving – already got some ideas for the next story with these peeps. 🙂 Totally alternate universe of course, and I think Sarah may be the POV character next time around.
And she said this morning that she wanted first person POV as opposed to the deep third person POV of Lilith’s story. I am somewhat scared now, lol. But that’s a good sign – fear means growth.
LikeLike
Wow! I can’t wait for the next post and the epilogue! I’ve been following this story for a while and I really enjoy it! I can’t wait to see how it ends, and I know that I won’t be disappointed! Keep up the great work! I just wanted to comment for once and let you know that you have one more reader out there! 😀
LikeLike
Hi! Thank you so much for commenting! 🙂 I love talking to people who read and enjoy my little story.
The end and the epilogue are going to take a while – I have a particular set of shots in mind that I really really really want and need and they are going to be really hard to shoot if they’re possible at all. Which, no – impossible is not an option. I will get them.
I think I’d have to do it all in one take though, to keep the saved camera angle. Ouch. Well, on the other hand -the pictures are vertical and not in slide format and so you can’t flip through them and so maybe it would be okay if they weren’t all from the same angle.
LOL, sorry, got all distracted. Thank you and you rock! *hugs*
LikeLike
Awesome! I’ve also been reading Emerald Harbor. I’m really enjoying that one too! I didn’t notice the camera angle much, but then again, I wasn’t looking for the angle. I more enjoy reading the story and following the pictures with words. I think this would be a really good story even without the pictures . . . with much more detail of course, but the whole idea is amazing! I’m in love with your story! 😛
It’s ok if the end and the epilogue take a while. I’d rather have you work on it with all of your effort and give a higher quality post than rush it and post it without putting full effort into it. I can appreciate that it takes time to get it to look and sound just how you want it to.
I have to wonder, how many days before Lilith becomes an elder? The thought crossed my mind because it seems like you play it a lot to get it just the way you want it. Then there’s the other thought that you probably have aging turned off or set to epic or something. lol!
LikeLike
Aging is set to epic, yes. I let Seth and Sarah have another baby in the weedy lot save file because I was trying to get Seth’s LTH up and kids are a good source of those. Turns out I didn’t really need a kid though with the LTH speed hacks, but oh well. The baby just became a toddler. She has Seth’s hair and eye color and she’s insane and excitable. Definitely letting her grow up after the story. I may have to get Seth some ambrosia for real though – can’t stand the thought of him getting any older.
Yay thank you! I’m glad you like it. And yes, it takes time. Back when I was rushing it and not really editing and doing two updates a week one update took five to six hours. These days though – I don’t even know.
LikeLike
There’s only one more chapter before the epilogue? D8 This is too good to end!
I totally loved how the house responded to Seth, by the way. It feels so… magical. Hmm, I’m at a loss for words now, lol. But yea, I really loved that part. 🙂
And, wow, Lilith is the string that sews it all together? It suddenly makes sense why she was ‘chosen’ by Seth, though I’m really curious as to why she’s so special now! X) Argh! Why do you make us wait?
LikeLike
I can’t say for sure until I get started on the next update but it may be the end, yes.
She’s not really special, per se – hah, typed out like two paragraphs explaining it but then I thought maybe I should see what the epilogue wants to share first.
Yay I’m glad you liked that part! 🙂 I do too.
Thank you!
LikeLike
Part of me sees Lillith snapping back out of her trance, and possibly giving Seth a taste of his on medicine(maybe turning HIM into life fruit). Maybe because I usually root for the good guy, and part of me wants that. But, there’s the other part that is hanging on the edge of my seat, waiting anxiously for Seth to do what he’s been wanting to do with Lillith all along…to watch it all play out. I’m curious as to how Lillith’s going to handle all this, how it’s going to change her, if she doesn’t snap back into reality.
Absolutely brilliant writing, I don’t want the ride you’ve taken us all on to end, it’s been a wonderful journey-Thank you!
LikeLike
Thank you! I’ve appreciated all of your comments and support so much. 🙂
Not sure how to respond to the first paragraph without spoiling anything, lol. But those are wonderful thoughts and give me a lot to think on.
LikeLike
As always, you’re writing leaves me wanting more. 🙂
I especially like how you introduced the house as a character in this one. The house had seemed empty up to this point, but life is starting to breathe through it again.
LikeLike
Yay thank you! I’m glad you liked it. 🙂
And yeah – the house is very much a character. 🙂
LikeLike
Wonderful! I love the pics, but one becomes accustomed to them. What I really like here is the prose. You writing skills are phenomenal. I wish you did more of it. 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you! 🙂
Valley tells me what amount of prose versus pics it wants. 🙂 I get the feeling that the next story will have more text – Sarah can hold her own against Seth better and as we saw with her diary, she is quite verbose.
Are you on LJ? I made a new personal account the other day and I post on it fairly frequently with prose-y things – although not generally fiction. But still.
http://thethingitself.livejournal.com/
🙂
LikeLike
No, I’m not on LJ. But I definitely will become a user now. Thank you, Misty! 🙂
LikeLike
The eating of the deathfish reminds me a little of the japanese culture and their eating of the blow fish over there. Dangerous but exhilarating for those daredevils.
Great close up shots in this chapter, really draws the readers in and gives them that intimacy.
There is such a contrast here, with Seth cooking her dinner, Lilith lighting the fire, in any other setting, it could be romantic but given the circumstance and situation, it’s got this sinister twist on what could otherwise be, a normal family dinner.
So those life seeds have to in some way be connected to Lilith herself otherwise it won’t work? Interesting.
LikeLike
I love this chapter so much and I’m getting super anxious to see what happens next. =D
LikeLike
Noo it can’t end there! I’ve spent all afternoon reading every single chapter to this story and I am hooked! The photos are great and I loved how you’ve played around with the setting to create the different effects.
Jason was gorgeous in the “boy next door” style but Seth… Seth fricking rocks in all his creepiness and Lilith…Lilith is just beautiful and we’ll leave it at that. I simply can’t wait to read the next chapter PLEASE post it soon!!
*left a comment in SWG as well if you haven’t seen that already! 😀
LikeLike
I’m going to start work on the next update tomorrow, but I imagine it’ll be a while – it may very well be the last update and the epilogue.
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked it – I’ve poured my soul into it for over six months now so that’s always nice to hear.
Yeah, I did like Jason but Seth…sigh, Seth. 🙂
I will go check out the SWG thread soon. 🙂
Oh, the insta-kill hack! http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=356513 Couldn’t do Valley without it. 🙂 There’s instructions in the post for how to make it work with WA.
LikeLike
Love it! And finally more words! Is she going to kill herself or is he going to give her the deathfish?
LikeLike
Yay thanks! And you should like the Seth short I’m working on now, heh – it’s all words and no pics.
As for that question – we will see, won’t we? 😉
LikeLike
I’ve been offline for a few months and woefully behind the times… so I’ve breezed through the last few updates just to catch up (I’ll go back and read again to absorb it all, I promise) but I have to say you’ve captured a state of mind brilliantly. Anyone who has experienced brain-numbing fear will recognize it. Very, very well done.
Can’t wait for more. You rock.
LikeLike
Thank you! Yay, I had been wondering about you and where you were. 🙂
Hmm. I am trying to think when I have been in a state of mind-numbing fear.
You rock more. 🙂
LikeLike
A poison, eh? I like it! But I fear for Lilith. Seth is so casual about it that it’s disturbing.
Another great chapter!!
LikeLike
Thank you so much for all of your comments. 🙂 I’ve missed you.
We are indeed near the end. Only I can’t get motivated for Valley at the moment and am instead all about the full text Seth as a high school sophomore story.
Lilith has some things going on under the surface in this chapter. Like I said in reply to the anon comment on Light – the end of Light was Lilith’s turning point. And when I do get motivated, we will see that turning point come to fruition.
LikeLike
Wow, I’m really late getting to read this, had a lot going on though. Brilliant update, I love it, always do. I’d say more, but I’m tired, and I want to go read the other chapters I’ve missed before I contemplate taking a nap.
LikeLike
I’m such a doofus, I did read and comment on this already, sorry about that, don’t know what I was thinking. On to the next chapter now.
LikeLike
The house seems to come alive on it’s own, like something out of a Steven King movie. I could almost hear the fire crackling! I can’t wait to see where this goes but I’m a little sad because I know it will be ending soon 😦
LikeLike
Yeah, that house definitely became its own character over the story. I haven’t decided if I’ll use it in the new one or not. There is a waterfall in Moonlight Falls, but there’s not a lot near it like there is in Sunset Valley.
LikeLike
The death fish bit was interesting. The house feels so alive. I wonder though. If the house really burned, then why is it still standing? It doesn’t even looked scorched inside. The front entryway that was engulfed in flames looks in tact. Are we talking alternate reality? Did someone rebuild the house? Did Lilith set a second fire? Because the last two shots seemed to imply that. Why? I mean, if it’s to get rid of Seth, I can maybe understand, but from the Interlude, I highly doubt he dies.
LikeLike
It’s been decades since the first fire. I imagine Seth would have had the house rebuilt and repaired, yeah.
Yep, Lilith set a fire. And Seth is mortal, really. 😉
LikeLike
So did Lilith want to die then? Or did both she and Seth both escape the flames?
LikeLike
I think they both died in the fire. As for Lilith wanting to die….I don’t know. I think she accepted it, but that’s not the same as wanting it.
LikeLike
True. I feel like Lilith wanted the madness to end and death was the only way, or at least she thinks it’s the only way. I’d be pretty hard to go on living after her experience with Seth.
LikeLike